Category: Things to do with kids in Philadelphia

National Liberty Museum

This unassuming storefront on Chestnut Street, located steps away from Independence National Historic Park is devoted to some small and large acts of courage that inspire us all. Highlights include a recreation of Anne Frank’s hiding place, a visit with Nelson Mandela in prison, and a striking monument to the heroes of 9/11. Colorful art glass sculptures make the point that liberty is as fragile as glass, a vivid statement that starts with the museum’s centerpiece, the fiery Flame of Liberty by Dale Chihuly.

Contact number: (215) 925-2800

Location: 321 Chestnut Street , Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn more here.

Academy of Natural Science

Dem bones, dem bones, dem big bones. That’s part of what you’ll see at this venerable natural science museum, home to more than a dozen dinosaur skeletons, including the dreaded T-Rex. A tropical butterfly exhibition and ample specimens of geology and gems round out an impressive collection. In the Outside-In hands-on nature center, children can touch a hissing Madagascar cockroach or a snake, crawl through a tree trunk and examine fossils under a microscope.

Contact number: (215) 299-1000

Location: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Learn more here.

Mütter Museum

Although not for the squeamish, the Mütter Museum is a big hit with children interested in medicine and the human body, thanks to its macabre collection of more than 20,000 medical artifacts and oddities. This chronicle of medical history at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia is based on Dr. Thomas Mütter’s 19th century array of bones and specimens, including President Grover Cleveland’s jawbone, Chief Justice John Marshall’s gallstones and John Wilkes Booth’s thorax. Fetuses and organs float in viscous liquid, and a nearby wall of skulls used in medical research is especially creepy.

Contact number: (215) 563-3737

Location: 19 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Learn more here.

Liberty Bell Center

Although the children won’t be able to ring this iconic symbol of our country’s freedom, an interactive exhibit of cracked bells will let them hear how a bell sounds before and after repairs. Cast in London for the Pennsylvania State House, the bell’s famous fissure emerged early in its life. Despite several repairs, the crack was destined to be. Commentary explaining the bell’s history, along with the presence of enthusiastic and patient docents, makes this an enjoyable historic field trip.

Contact number: (215) 965-2305

Location: 550 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn more here.

Franklin Institute Science Museum

The children will love this hands-on science wonderland, a place where kids are invited to touch, jump, run, ride, and climb while they discover the wonders of science. Start with a visit to the Science Center with its three floors of interactive exhibits including KidScience, an exhibit which takes children ages 5 to 8 on a journey across The Island of the Elements. Space Command lets kids locate their houses using a satellite home-tracking device. And walking through the hugely popular Giant Heart gives you and your children the chance to actually climb through an oversized ticker. There’s also an IMAX theater and a planetarium.

Contact number: (215) 448-1200

Location: 222 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Learn more here.

National Constitution Center

The world’s only museum dedicated to the U.S. constitution brings this amazing document to life through high-tech exhibits, artifacts, and interactive displays. An upbeat show in the Kimmel Theater uses music, a live actor and 360 degree multimedia images to tell the constitution’s story. The children are involved in the process along the way, from donning judicial robes and taking a seat on the Supreme Court to voting for president and even taking the presidential oath of office. They can even email their elected officials with questions and comments.

Contact number: (215) 409-6700

Location: 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

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South Street

Where do all the hippies meet? You remember the song, but your children won’t. But they will love the artsy street scene, complete with lots of fun places to eat (Steaks on South, for one), great shops, offbeat performance spaces and galleries. It’s a bit on the edgy side (yes, that is a CondomNation you’re seeing), with plenty of tattoos and punk posing, but South Street is a terrific slice of Philly life. Walk up Fourth Street to get a look at Philly’s version of the Garment Center, Fabric Row.

Contact number: (215) 413-3713

Location: South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Learn more here.

Independence National Historical Park

America’s most historic square mile — and smallest national park — Independence National Historical Park is home to such national landmarks as Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the First Bank of the United States. Stop by the Independence Visitor Center at Sixth and Market Streets for free timed tickets to Independence Hall and ask about a Junior Ranger activity map. The children will have fun collecting stamps at various park sites (and learning along the way), as they earn an official Junior Ranger Badge.

Contact number: (215) 965-2305

Location: 143 South Third Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn more here.

Elfreth’s Alley

And you thought your house was old. Take the children to the nation’s oldest continuously inhabited street, dating back to 1755. Although most of the houses are private residences, there’s a museum that recreates the life of trades people and artisans in the 18th century. During June Fete Days, the homes and gardens are open for tours, and the children can dress up in colonial costumes, try chair-making or lace-making, and listen to a genuine fife and drum corps.

Contact number: (215) 574-0560

Location: 126 Elfreths Alley, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Learn more here.

City Hall

See Willy Penn up close and personal from City Hall Tower, which offers the best view of the city skyline in town. Situated in the exact center of William Penn’s original 1682 plan for the city, City Hall is a gorgeous Victorian wedding cake of a building, topped by Alexander Calder’s 37-foot-high statue of Penn himself. Four people are allowed up in the tower every 15 minutes, with free timed tickets available at the Tour Information Center in room 121. For real architecture buffs, a docent-led 90-minute tour of building and the tower takes place every weekend at 12:30pm.

Contact number: (215) 686-2840

Location: Broad Street and John F Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Learn more here.